Headrest



1959 c. w. MARSH Q 2,917,109

' FEADREST Filed June 4. 1957 IN VEN TOR.

. 0/2 ar/es (A/Marsh BY fimZa/Wm/ A T TORN EAS.

HEADREST Charles W. Marsh, Los Angeles, Calif. Application June 4, 1957,Serial No. 663,409

3 Claims. or. 155-111 1 The invention relates to headrests for use inconnection with seats or chairs in automobiles, buses, railway cars, andairplanes.

, An object of the invention is to provide a headrest which will offercomfortable support to the head of a user and hold the same againstrolling.

Another object of the invention is to provide a headrest which when notin use will be flush with the back of the chair.

' be inconspicuous and will not detract from the appearance of the chairto any material degree.

I With these and other objects in view, the invention consists ofcertain novel features of construction, as will be more fully describedand particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a passenger chair having a headrestsecured thereto embodying the invention and shown in the position ofuse;

Fig. 2 is a similar view but with the headrest shown in the position ofnon-use flush with the back of the chair;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section view of a fragmentary portion of achair, showing the connecting structure by means of which the headrestis secured to the back of the chair;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the headrest adjusting mechanism takensubstantially along line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an edge view of a modified construction; and

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a further modification.

Referring to the drawing in more detail, 10 designates a passenger seator chair, only a portion of which has been shown for a clearunderstanding of the present invention. The chair shown is conventionaland intended to be representative of a passenger seat or chair of a bus,railway car, airplane and like seating arrangements. The chair ispreferably of the type in which the backrest 11 thereof may be inclinedin a usual manner for the comfort of a user.

According to the present invention, the upper portion of the backrest 11at one end thereof is recessed as at 12 and the outer walls of therecess may have a covering 13 similar to the covering 14 of the backrest11. A shaft 15 is mounted within the frame of the backrest 11 and isheld stationary in any appropriate manner, as by way of example, clampfastening 16 secured to the frame 17 of said backrest. The shaft 15extends into recess 12 between the opposite surfaces of the backrest 11and is provided with a ratchet wheel 18 which may be formed integralwith the shaft by cutting the teeth directly into the end portion ofsaid shaft.

2,917,109 Patented Dec. 15, 1959 ice.

The headrest 19 may be conveniently made as shown having an open frame20 on which is supported a padding of suitable material, as for example,foam rubber 21, over which extends a covering 22 of a material similarto the covering of backrest 11. The headrest is journalled on shaft 15by means of a sleeve 23 which is secured to the frame 20 through whichthe shaft projects. A collar 24 is secured on the shaft 15 adjacent theinner end of the sleeve 23 so as to block removal of the headrest fromthe shaft. It may be here mentioned that the covering on the rear sideof the headrest 19 is secured in position subsequent to assembling thesaid headrest on said shaft so as to allow access to the inner side ofthe headrest. A pawl 25 pivoted as at 26 on the frame 20 of the headrestextends into engagement with the ratchet wheel and is normally heldengaged therewith by means of a flat leaf spring 27. The pawl has adepending arm 28 to which there is secured a button 29 which projectsthrough the outer edge wall 30 of the headrest with its end flushtherewith.

The headrest has its front and back surfaces flush with thecorresponding surfaces of the backrest when not in will ride over theteeth of the ratchet wheel and be held at any desired relation ofadjustment by the pawl engaging against the back of a tooth. In order tomove the headrest in 'a counterclockwise direction and return it to theposition of Fig. 2, the button 29 is pushed inwardly to swing the pawl25 about pivot 26 and out of engagement with the ratchet wheel.

In Fig. 5, the modification shown is substantially similar to that abovedescribed with the exception that the headrest is pivoted at the lowerportion thereof to the shaft 13. Other than being at a differentposition, the structure remains the same. In moving the headrest 19' tothe position of use, the same is moved in a counterclockwise directionas seen in Fig. 5 and is held against clockwise movement by engagementof the pawl 25 with the back of a ratchet tooth of ratchet wheel 18. Itmay be here mentioned that the pressure of the spring 27' against thepawl will be of a force sufficient to hold the headrest in place in thenormal use thereof.

In Fig. 6, I have shown the headrest 19" as being mounted for swingingmovement about a vertically disposed axis. The structure above describedin the description of the embodiments shown in Fig. 3 remains the samewith the exception of the relative position of shaft 15' which in Fig. 6is so positioned that its axis extends generally vertically and parallelto the face of the back 11 of the chair.

From the above, it will be apparent that I have disclosed a headrestwhich is arranged to be moved angularly to any of various positions ofadjustment about a fixed shaft so as to provide a generally rightangularly extending abutment relative to the front side of the backrestof the chair to be engaged by the side of the head of a user in arelaxed position on said backrest. It will also be apparent that theheadrest, when not in use, will be a flush component of the saidbackrest and will not detract from the general appearance of thebackrest.

I claim:

1. In combination, a chair having a back rest with a recess therein, ahead rest comprising a hollow block normally in said recess, a shaftextending into said back rest and head rest and providing a rotatablemounting for said head rest, said head rest being angularly movableabout ing abutment relative :to said back rest "for engagement with theside of the head ofa user ,extendingina relaxed position on said backrest, a ratchet fixed relative to one of said rests and a spring pressedpawl carried by the other of,,said;1iests .and extending into engagementwith said ratchet wheel whereby .to :hold said head rest in ad justedposition and a finger piece'taccessible from .theexterior of the ;partin which said pawlis;carried;for:operating said pawl.

2. In eombinationas set forth in claim ,1 whereimsaid recess extendsinwardly from the upper edge of said backrest at one end thereof, andsaid shaft projects into said-recess at the upper portion thereof.

3. In combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said recess extendsinwardly from the .upper edge .of .said

backrest and said shaft projects into said recess at the upper portionthereof.

References Cited'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS444,719 Zapp Ian. 13, 1891 10 2,087,574 Kauffer July 20, 1937 2,652,101Samsky Sept. 15, 1953 2,760,559 Austin Aug. 28, 1956

